


New Normal

by Syrus



Category: Changeling (Visual Novel)
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:27:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25777378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Syrus/pseuds/Syrus
Summary: Nora Lewis has realized finally that she definitely is not normal and likely never had been.  It is fortunate that she's found someone just as weird as she is, and she just wants to figure him out.AU mid Ewan Croft route, with references to his "incident" in the school hallway and when he finds her in the woods.
Relationships: Ewan Croft/Nora Lewis | Main Character
Kudos: 5





	New Normal

It was hard to believe that I thought I was relatively normal just one month before. There was no way for me to really know how wrong I was…or at least there was no way for me to properly interpret all of the things that happened to me in my childhood, including both of my disappearances, properly. And when I found out the truth of all the Cryptics that attended my high school, and the club that most of the people I was close to were in, I was also certain that I wasn’t normal as a child, and I certainly could never be normal again after all the things I was learning now.

But lately, my mind was on the reticent, but very thoughtful Fae I met through the club, Ewan. Ewan was complicated, no doubt about it. I thought my life was complicated on finding out all the weird things going on around me when previously I’d been completely oblivious, but I could hardly imagine growing up in this world only to find out that I was also a Cryptic in likely the worst way possible. It was true that I still didn’t have any details of the actual event that made him realize he was full Fae, but it was very clear that it was hard for him to talk about and was the reason he had to leave his previous life behind to move here.

There was clearly a lot that he was working through, since the terrible thing that happened only one year ago, and he’d still not gotten control over the head falling off thing, as evidenced to me several occasions in the short time I’d known him. It didn’t mean that I thought he was any weirder for it though, just getting to know him more and more made me feel like it was just one small side of him, nothing to be reviled or judged, even if it generally put him in a bad mood after it happened. I suppose my best example of his temper was when his head nearly fell off in a school hallway and I saved him with my lips.

Even if he bit my head off directly after that happened, he went out of his way to apologize to me about how he snapped at me when I’d try to help save his head from rolling down a stairwell, but there were a lot of thoughts left in my mind after all of the adrenaline wore off. It wasn’t anything a kiss should have been, and it was done on accident, but what else was that? Our lips definitely were touching, and honestly with the horror of what I was trying to prevent past, I had no choice but to think about that fact.

It was the first time I’d kissed anyone, whether it was a real kiss or not. Maybe it didn’t start out as a kiss, but by the end of whatever it was, I know I did feel something. I doubt I was the only one that felt something with the blush that was on his face during his apology to me. Though, I couldn’t take it to mean anything really, with how everything that happened was completely out of Ewan’s control. So why couldn’t I get it out of my head?

And now that Ewan was making it a point to actually attend Literature with me, I couldn’t help but study his face as we read lines in A Midsummer Night’s Dream together, and every time his eyes met mine, I couldn’t stop the annoying blush from coming to my cheeks. He’d honestly just become harder and harder to get out of my head in general, since I’d even begin sketching him in my art books and sometimes even in the corner of my school notes when I zoned out.

What was wrong with me? I would have to admit that he was attractive, especially with those unusual eyes of his. But there was just something about him that drew me, and it wasn’t just because we shared weird or bad experiences with the Fae…I just liked him as a person. I tried shaking my head, because even this line of thinking was starting to make me blush. I hated soft and squishy feelings, but with the flutter I felt in my chest sometimes when he smiled at me could not be denied either.

I was never good with feelings or emotions or romance or anything like it, but even I couldn’t miss the signs that I was starting to feel something about him. But what could I do with this information? Especially with everything else in my life going into a crazy tailspin. If I was completely logical and sensible, I’d tell myself that all of these revelations would have to wait until the immediate issues in my life and Spencer’s life were solved, but my heart never listened to my mind.

And if there was any question about these growing feelings, all of those doubts were erased when I was alone and wandering the woods for what had to be the millionth night in a row, thankfully found by Ewan before I’d gotten too far. Feeling a little too scared and confused to be annoyed or irritated by my stupid feelings in that moment, I just gripped to him tightly, so grateful to feel his warm and protective arms around me.

I was almost disappointed when he let me go to walk me home, but I could only be grateful again when he lent me his jacket as I shivered in the cold night. And again when he offered to carry me when I kept hurting my feet on all the blackberry vines. Even if I flatly refused, I couldn’t help but wonder how such a kind, thoughtful, wonderful guy was so convinced he had to hide himself from the world completely. Even if he presented himself as an aloof reticent person to others at school, I could see the real him now.

Once again I wondered at my luck that he wanted to open up to me like that too. I breathed a sigh of relief when my house came back into view, but I was a little sad that my time with Ewan was about to come to an end. Even if the start of that short time was almost a confused panic attack on my part. He then gave me the bell on the red string to protect myself and warned me about Brenna, which was definitely food for thought when I wasn’t barefoot and freezing outside in my pajamas in the middle of the night.

When I opened the gate to my house, Ewan caught my hand and leaned close, and that caused me to suck in a quick breath of surprise at the stronger than usual flutter I usually felt when he got close and fixed me with an intense look. Nothing was said between us for a long moment, and I decided that it was too late and I was too tired to stop myself from seconding guessing any impulsive behavior, namely moving closer to him as well as I looked up into his eyes.

It seemed like they had a beautiful glow in the dim moonlight and back porch lights. I could 100% believe that he was magical in this weird singular moment. I heard him also sucking in a quick breath in response to my movement, so I couldn’t stop there, something about being so close to him dashing all of my common sense. 

The other times I’d gotten so close to him, it was to help prevent a very unfortunate turn of events for Ewan, and it had so little to do with romance or attraction. This was totally different. He’d already saved me from what was likely a terrible end where I disappeared forever without my family having any idea of what happened to me. This felt like it was just for us and that realization made my face burn red, but I didn’t pull back. And, it really should be noted, neither did he.

I sincerely hoped that he also felt drawn to me the same way I did to him, but that line of thought was abruptly broken when he quickly leaned down to kiss me, seemingly before he could convince himself out of it. This was a real kiss. My first real kiss. So much was happening in my life right now, but I didn’t care. I could only focus on the pleasant sensations rushing through me from our kiss.

It wasn’t like I knew what I was doing at all, but I definitely knew that I always wanted Ewan close like this. I’d clearly forgotten that I’d needed to breathe until it became an urgent need, and I pulled back gasping for breath and I met eyes with him again. If my heart wasn’t already beating fast, that little smile pulling at the edges of his lips would have done it. Maybe I was going through a confusing and frustrating time dealing with the Fae, but his arms around me, my hand clutched tight in his shirt, and his lips on mine made it better somehow. 

But a cool night breeze made me shiver again, despite being inside his jacket and his arms, reminding me that I really did have to get back inside before anyone realized I was gone. My look turned a little wry then, giving him a bittersweet smile, and I whispered to him, “I guess I should get inside.”

A tender look flashed in his eyes then, touching my face softly as he replied, “Talk to you tomorrow?”

I was suddenly looking so forward to the next day, no matter what that day might bring. I could only smile then and nod, “Yeah…I’ll call you.”

I reluctantly started pulling away from Ewan but made sure to give his hand a squeeze before distancing myself entirely. It looked like he was just as reluctant about leaving, before appearing to realize something, “Oh, uhhh…my jacket?”

As much as it was humiliating to acknowledge how much I swam in this jacket, I also didn’t want to give it back, it making me feel like Ewan was still close to me, but I wouldn’t want him driving his motorcycle home in the cold of the night without it. I carefully took it off and gave it back to him, shyly smiling, “Bye…”

The little smile was back on his lips then, and made me feel that ever familiar flutter once more as he replied just as softly, “Bye.”

I gave him one more wave before quickly heading back to my room. While there was a lot in my life that didn’t make sense, one good thing came out of all of it, namely getting closer to Ewan through all of this. For the first time in a few weeks, I felt like I had a lot more to look forward to in the future than I had to fear, and it was a good feeling with so much being so unsure in my life right now. 

When I’d finished the painstaking process of cleaning and disinfecting my injured feet on returning inside, I decided to focus on the warmth I felt when I was close to Ewan, and it was enough to help me fall asleep again with something positive in mind.

* * *


End file.
